Seven minutes from Exit 2 of Gaegum Station: Step into the history of Busan’s footwear industry at the Korea Footwear Center
The Korea Footwear Center is a free exhibition space showcasing Busan’s growth as a footwear manufacturing city alongside today’s K-shoes industry. Centered around the Multimedia Promotion Hall on the first floor and the History Exhibition Hall on the second, the visit takes about 40 minutes. Check in advance whether reservations are required for hands-on programs and docent tours to plan your route clearly.
I’ve been here?
Your check-in helps the next traveler.
22 people viewed this week Be the first
One tap — no writing needed
From Samhwa Rubber in 1934 to the Korea Shoes Center in 2018: How Busan Became a Shoe City
The Korea Shoes Center is an exhibition space that covers both the history and future of Busan’s shoe industry. According to Busan Metropolitan City materials, Busan’s shoe industry began growing in the 1930s, and Samhwa Rubber was established in 1934 before changing its name to Samhwa Rubber after liberation in 1946. Its representative brand, “Beompyo,” illustrates one chapter of Busan’s rubber footwear industry.
Taehwa Rubber was established in 1947 and operated a factory in Danggam-dong, while Kukje Corporation began in 1948 as Kukje Rubber Industrial Company and became the first Korean company to export basketball shoes to the United States in 1962. Dongyang Rubber was founded in 1953, and Jinyang Chemical began near Jinyang Intersection in 1963. The Korea Shoes Center is a landmark of the shoe industry established by Busan Metropolitan City in February 2018 to explain this industrial history.
- Samhwa Rubber established: 1934
- Kukje Corporation’s export of basketball shoes to the United States: 1962
- Korea Shoes Center established: February 2018
- Building scale: site area 2,644.6㎡, total floor area 4,141.4㎡, 1 basement level and 7 above-ground floors
Free admission from 10:00 to 17:00: A 40-minute route covering the highlights of the first and second floors
Visiting hours are 10:00–17:00 from Monday to Saturday, and the center is closed on Sundays and national public holidays. Admission is free, and the main telephone number is 051-898-9300. The official website is https://www.k-shoes.kr/main, and individual visitors may explore freely.
The official basic tour description takes approximately 40 minutes. On the first floor, the recommended sequence includes viewing domestic and international shoe-industry trends, domestic brands, award-winning shoes, 3D printers and automated robots, and a foot-health analysis experience before proceeding to the second floor. If you have more than an hour, it is worthwhile to include the traditional Korean shoes, traditional shoes from around the world, celebrity shoes, and AR experience on the second floor.
- Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10:00–17:00
- Closed: Sundays and national public holidays
- Admission: Free
- Basic tour duration: Approximately 40 minutes
Busan brands and shoe-manufacturing technology at “Zoom In, K-Shoes” on the first floor
The first-floor Multi-Promotion Hall, themed “Zoom In, K-Shoes,” combines promotion, marketing, and sales for Korean and Busan shoe companies and their own brands. Starting at the information desk, it consists of four zones: shoe-industry trends, the Shoe Companies Hall, the Shoe Brands Promotion Showroom, and an experience area.
The first things to see on this floor are domestic and international shoe trends, shoes from Korean independent brands, and award-winning entries from domestic and international shoe competitions. The official route also includes 3D printers and automated robots, as well as a foot-health analysis using specialized equipment. Rather than viewing it simply as an exhibition space, it is easier to understand this floor as a place to learn how Busan shoe companies present their products and technologies.
- First-floor facilities: information desk, shoe-industry trends, Shoe Companies Hall, experiences, and sales
- Exhibition scope: domestic and international shoe trends and domestic brands
- Technology features: 3D printers, automated robots, and foot-health analysis experience
- First-floor area: 466.8㎡
Why see gilt-bronze shoes, taesahye, and Lee Dae-ho’s shoes together on the second floor
The second-floor Shoe History Hall, themed “Connecting with the Times, K-Shoes,” links traditional footwear with the growth of Busan’s shoe industry. It covers Korean traditional shoes such as gilt-bronze shoes and taesahye, as well as the introductory period, first and second growth periods, overseas-investment period, and renewed-growth period of Korea’s shoe industry in chronological order.
The World Traditional Shoes section introduces traditional footwear from 20 countries across the continents. The celebrity shoe exhibition includes shoes worn by baseball player Lee Dae-ho, soccer player Lee Dong-gook, volleyball player Shin Jin-sik, and actors Kim Hong-pa and Choi Ju-bong. The exhibition also covers old shoe advertisements and occupations such as shoemakers, pattern makers, pedorthists, and designers, allowing visitors to view industrial history through the people and technologies behind it.
- Second-floor area: 516.8㎡
- Korean traditional shoes: gilt-bronze shoes, taesahye, and more
- World traditional shoes: footwear from 20 countries
- Celebrity exhibition examples: Lee Dae-ho, Lee Dong-gook, Shin Jin-sik, Kim Hong-pa, and Choi Ju-bong
The difference between a 40-minute docent tour reserved for groups of 10 or more and a 50–60-minute experience
Age-specific docent tours are approximately 40 minutes long and can be reserved for groups of 10 or more. Groups exceeding 30 people are divided for guided visits, and student groups must be accompanied by a supervising teacher. Individual visitors generally explore freely, but those who would like an explanation may ask at the information desk.
Separate experience programs require reservations and are offered as 50–60-minute sessions for both children and adults. Reservations and inquiries can be made through the participation application on the website or by calling the information desk at 051-898-9300. Food and beverages and pets may not be brought into the exhibition area, and advance inquiries are required for commercial photography.
- Docent tour: Reservation for 10 or more people, approximately 40 minutes
- Groups exceeding 30 people: Divided tours
- Experience programs: Reservations required, 50–60 minutes
- Inquiries: 051-898-9300
A 7-minute walk from Exit 2 of Gaegeum Station and six bus routes serving the Korea Shoes Center main entrance stop
The address is 227 Baegyang-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan, and the official address information lists postal code 47259. By metro, it is approximately a 7-minute walk from Exit 2 of Gaegeum Station on Busan Metro Line 2. If this is your first visit, search for “Korea Shoes Center” on a map and also look for the on-site sign identifying the building next to the budget gas station.
Buses 129-1, 138-1, 160, 167, 169, and 169-1 stop at the Korea Shoes Center main entrance stop. Free parking is available for passenger cars, and the official directions describe a capacity of approximately 50 vehicles. The facilities page also states that parking is free for one hour, so for extended stays or event days, it is safest to reconfirm the exit policy by telephone.
- Metro: Busan Metro Line 2, Gaegeum Station Exit 2; 7-minute walk
- Buses: 129-1, 138-1, 160, 167, 169, and 169-1
- Get off at: Korea Shoes Center main entrance stop
- Parking: Capacity of approximately 50 vehicles; listed as free
The basement Poljjak Center and third-floor meeting rooms with 14, 10, and 24 seats: The building beyond the exhibitions
The Korea Shoes Center is more than an exhibition venue. The basement level contains a collection storage room, experience-preparation room, experience room, and photo studio, while the Poljjak Center (Makers) operates for the work and networking of design and craft creators. The Poljjak Center’s hours are Tuesday–Friday, 10:00–21:00, and Saturday–Sunday, 10:00–19:00, which differ from the Korea Shoes Center’s general visiting hours.
The third floor is presented as a business space with a book café, open-plan areas, and meeting rooms seating 14, 10, and 24 people. Floors 4–5 contain lecture rooms, a computer classroom, shoemaking practice space, and sewing practice room, while floors 6–7 house offices for resident companies and corporate support facilities. Therefore, general visits center on the first and second floors; it is best to confirm the purpose of other facilities first so they are not confused with event, rental, or resident-company spaces.
- Basement level: collection storage, experience room, and photo studio
- Poljjak Center: Tuesday–Friday, 10:00–21:00; Saturday–Sunday, 10:00–19:00
- Third-floor meeting rooms: 14, 10, and 24 seats
- Floors 4–5: lecture rooms and shoemaking and sewing practice spaces
What wheelchair and stroller users should confirm by calling 051-898-9300 before visiting
The Korea Shoes Center is a building from the basement level through the seventh above-ground floor, but the official visitor information does not provide specific details about wheelchair and stroller routes or the availability of foreign-language docent tours. Visitors using wheelchairs or strollers, or those who need guidance in English or another foreign language, should call the main number, 051-898-9300, before visiting to confirm elevator access, entrance ramps, restrooms, and docent languages.
If your main purpose is to focus on the exhibitions, prioritize the first and second floors during the general visiting hours of 10:00–17:00. If you plan to join an experience or docent tour, confirm the reservation requirements first. Since the center is closed on Sundays and national public holidays, travelers with short stays in Busan should schedule their visit from Monday to Saturday.
- Detailed accessibility information: Must be confirmed separately through the official information
- Foreign-language guidance: Must be confirmed separately through the official information
- Inquiries before visiting: 051-898-9300
- Note about closures: Sundays and national public holidays
Before You Go
- Address
- 227 Baegyang-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan
- Hours
- Monday–Saturday, 10:00–17:00
- Closed
- Sundays and national public holidays
- Admission
- Free
- Phone
- 051-898-9300
- Official site
- https://www.k-shoes.kr/main
- Transport
- A 7-minute walk from Exit 2 of Gaegeum Station on Busan Metro Line 2. Buses 129-1, 138-1, 160, 167, 169, and 169-1 stop at the Korea Shoes Center main entrance stop.
- Parking
- Free, with an indicated capacity of approximately 50 vehicles. The facilities page also lists one hour of free parking, so telephone confirmation is recommended for extended use.
- Time needed
- Approximately 40 minutes (based on the official tour description). Reserved experiences take 50–60 minutes.
- Accessibility
- Specific information about wheelchair and stroller routes and foreign-language guidance is not provided in the official information; calling 051-898-9300 before visiting is recommended.
The information above is current as of the time of writing. Check the official information again before visiting.
Events in This Area
Festivals in This Area
More Travel Guides in This Area
Travel Guide
How to Find Namil Bar and the 180 Steps in Hocheon Village
Travel Guide
A Downtown Busan Walk from the Two Seomyeon Station Lines to Jeonpo Tool Alley
Travel Guide
How to choose meat and galbitang at Samihun, a 27-year-old Korean beef restaurant at 19 Seomunhwa-ro, Seomyeon
Travel Guide
Walking Along Seongjigok Reservoir in Busan Children's Grand Park, Completed in 1909
Korea News
News
‘NewJeans Expulsion’ Danielle Releases Her First YouTube Video… “We Don’t Know What Will Happen Next”
![aespa’s North American Tour Has Remaining Seats Despite ‘$49’ Bargain Prices… A Stark Popularity Gap with KATSEYE [TEN Starfield]](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1788485037424_a59b1932_naver_rank_thumb_0000774618_1788485037424.jpg){kind=icon}
News
aespa’s North American Tour Has Remaining Seats Despite ‘$49’ Bargain Prices… A Stark Popularity Gap with KATSEYE [TEN Starfield]
![[Photo] TWICE’s Dahyun attends a film festival red carpet as an actress](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1788485316508_edd43ecd_news_870a60a6-6f11-4d73-aa7c-48d91318a0f7.jpg)
News
[Photo] TWICE’s Dahyun attends a film festival red carpet as an actress
![[On-Site Video] “We’re Departing Separately Together”… BIGBANG Begins ‘COSMOS’ World Tour](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1788485226518_c5719641_news_fdd4764a-0f4e-4968-8e4e-e98a02872f88.jpg)
News